


Run Little Mushroom, Run!

by Sarek and Amanda Archive Maintainer (Selek)



Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: VickyFromGreece
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-25
Updated: 2013-03-25
Packaged: 2017-12-06 10:26:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/734610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selek/pseuds/Sarek%20and%20Amanda%20Archive%20Maintainer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This story is written for the mini challenge "Spock's naked tushy" proposed by Saidicam./</p><p>Written by VickyFromGreece.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Run Little Mushroom, Run!

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: This story is written for the mini challenge “Spock's naked tushy” proposed by Saidicam29. It was inspired by the beautiful story ‘In My Dreams’, written by Saidicam29 and T’Lea, which can be found at the ‘Sarek and Amanda archive’.
> 
> The challenge is based on a holo-picture, Amanda shows to Chapel: “"When Spock… in the yard… buck naked… Sarek trying to catch him… little green tushy… neighbours were… Sarek tried to… Spock thinking it was a game… got camera…" "I’d *loved* to have seen that," Christine said. "Might just have a holopic with me…" his mother’s voice.”
> 
> Letters in Italics represent people's inner thoughts.
> 
> Let us all thank Saidicam29 for suggesting that challenge.
> 
>  
> 
> Also I must express my profound thanks to The Klingon Kitten who edited this story. And you must forgive my simple vocabulary. English is not my native language.

Run Little Mushroom, Run!

By VickyFromGreece

 

 

“Will you say ‘daddy’ for me? D-d-d! Daaa-dyyy.” Amanda Grayson tried to separate and pronounce each letter clearly, yet so far her one-year-old son simply refused to cooperate. And to be honest this wasn’t the best of times. Bathing a Vulcan baby - with water - and expect him or her to enjoy it, or at least to remain still during the water bath, was simply an illusion.

 

Oh, well, at least she didn’t have I’Chaya jumping around her feet making this more difficult than it already was. So far and despite Spock’s protests she had managed to bath her baby son considerably well and now she was drying his hair with a soft towel. And perhaps teaching him a new word? Amanda could swear Spock had almost said it yesterday.

 

“Daaaddyyy. Watch my lips, baby. Da, da-ddy. Oh, please sweetie, say it for me. Say ‘daddy’. Now, before daddy arrives, OK? Say ‘daddy’ to surprise him when daddy arrives. Da-ddy, da-ddy.”

 

Yet despite her pleas her small son kept his mouth defiantly shut, just like every time she bathed him with water – sonics were forbidden to children younger than three years old. Spock was not pleased and wanted to make his displeasure as obvious as possible. He knew there was no way he could avoid a bath and kept a long face. 

 

How do other Vulcan mothers do it? Amanda wondered and suddenly felt helpless as she looked down at her blouse and shorts. Spock was now dry while she was soaking wet. Yet this was not the time to moan. 

 

“And off we go!” she exclaimed triumphantly with a wide smile while picking Spock up in her embrace and they left the bathroom heading toward his room. For a few seconds she held him above her head as if flying and Spock squealed in delight – her baby certainly loved to fly!

 

However as she exited the bathroom Amanda frowned. Again. She looked at Spock who smiled in her embrace and recalled the conversation she and her husband had last night. Sarek had told her that the time had come for Spock to begun his ‘training’ and Amanda knew what those words meant. Vulcan upbringing meant control of emotions. She sighed. How much longer would her baby smile like that? How long would she see that adorable smile?

 

Mother and son walked down the corridor while Amanda became increasingly worried. Where is I’Chaya? The image of a 350-pound enormous sehlat happily running careless and free on her defenseless rose garden brought shivers down her spine.

 

“I’Chaya? I’Chaya? Where are you, you big dumb furry carpet?”

 

She did not care how much Sarek or Spock loved the family’s aged sehlat. Ever since the day I’Chaya had ‘obviously mistaken’ (or at least that’s what Sarek had claimed) her freshly dug rose garden for his playground one week ago, Amanda was not so well disposed toward him. In fact she was less kind. And more strict. Much more strict.

 

Besides I’Chaya ought to know, the rose garden was off limits. Which made Amanda wonder, how did the sehlat make such a mistake? What was he thinking? I’Chaya did not provide any explanation.

 

So while holding Spock, she exited from the living room door and headed to the garden.

 

And the sight made her furious.

 

“Oh, my God! I’Chaya! Get out of there! Why, once I get my hands on you! You… you… you fur-ball! Get out!” she screamed at the sehlat digging his claws in her precious roses. Enraged Amanda began to walk toward it when suddenly she froze.

 

The sehlat that turned and faced them was… not I’Chaya. It was slightly smaller in size and its fur was a tone lighter.

 

“Arf, arf!” it barked happily and waved its tail as if welcoming Amanda and Spock to join in the uprooting of the bulbs. Oh, her poor, precious bulbs!

 

“Woof, woof!” I’Chaya appeared from inside the house and ran toward them. Amanda closed her gapping mouth and Spock realizing the abundance of playmates laughed delighted and waved his small hands to welcome them.

 

“What is this? Where did you come from?” she asked the strange sehlat while I’Chaya moved between them as if to make the introductions.

 

“Woof, woof!” the larger sehlat barked and seemed quite happy with the unexpected company. “Arf,” the other sehlat replied. They seemed to have met before.

 

“How nice,” Amanda smiled sarcastically. “Now there are two of you… Isn’t it lovely? I’Chaya!! Get your friend out of my garden!” she continued in a strict tone. “This garden is mine! You know that! And where did he come from that friend of yours?”

 

“Uuuur, uuuur!” the strange sehlat cried in a way that indicated it had been seriously insulted. Then it approached her and started licking her legs, while it waved its tail and smiled at Spock.

 

“Oh,” cried Amanda as she took one step back in a failed attempt to avoid getting herself and Spock licked all over. “You are very friendly, aren’t you?” she asked while both sehlats concentrated their attention on the baby she held in her embrace. Sehlats loved children and Spock laughed while the animals tickled him by licking his feet.

 

Amanda rolled her eyes and moaned in frustration.

 

Great. Just great. I’Chaya probably had not destroyed her garden, but she thought he did and had been mad at him for the last week. Her garden was destroyed by another sehlat – which meant poor I’Chaya was innocent - and now that she had caught the offender and chided him, she felt guilty because he was cute and friendly, like I’Chaya. Oh, well. At least Spock, after a horrendous bath, was smiling again. 

 

“And what are you smiling, huh?” Amanda asked her son. “You like seeing my roses executed, you little cutie?” She gasped in a theatrical way and goggled her eyes. “Ah! So… this was a conspiracy!” She smiled wickedly and pinched his little tushy. “Did you trick me into bathing you, so your friends here would destroy my garden?”

 

“Aaaaa, iiii-aaaa!” Spock exclaimed and, ignoring the insult, tried to leave his mother’s embrace to join the sehlats.

 

“No, no! I’ve just bathed you. And they are dirty,” Amanda said and held him firmly.

 

But then she recalled last night’s conversation. How much longer? How much longer would her baby do this? Run, play, and laugh. How much longer would she be able to see him running, playing… and laughing? Damn biology, she thought while a knot was formed in her throat.

 

“Well… maybe just this once,” she smiled, swallowed the knot, and left Spock on the ground. “I’ll be watching you three, so you’ll all behave!”

 

Spock laughed and started walking towards the enormous sehlats, reaching out for them. The animals welcomed him waiving their tails, and all three ran across the garden. 

 

Amanda was amazed once again, seeing her son running with uncertain steps. Due to their advanced bone construction Vulcan babies walked sooner than Human ones. But like most male babies, Spock had not spoken yet.

 

“Woof, woof!”

 

“Arf, arf!”

 

“Iiiii-yyyaaaaa!”

 

Amanda leaned on the balcony’s door, crossed her arms and smiled. She was also amazed with herself. A couple of years ago while she was still trying to conceive, there was no way she could imagine one day she would leave her one-year-old baby run free between two enormous ursus-size animals that each had six-inch fangs.

 

Now, two years later, she saw them like giant pandas. Sehlats were very clever, patient and the gentlest of creatures which made them ideal pets for every household. Vulcans had domesticated them thousand of years ago, like Humans did with dogs. I’Chaya, who was older than her husband, had proven the best babysitter in the entire Federation and the other sehlat was obviously familiar with children as well.

 

Where did it come from? Amanda wondered. Then she remembered their new neighbors. Soren, a colleague of Sarek’s from the Science Academy, and his family, a wife and their baby girl, what was her name? Oh, yes, T’Pring. The sehlat must have been theirs Amanda concluded. She decided to invite the family for diner. After all their sehlat had already invited himself.

 

Spock was laughing and caressing the enormous beasts that licked his face while all three ran across the – now entirely ruined - garden. She would have to start all over again. Yet at that moment Amanda decided that she didn’t care. It didn’t matter - the garden could be dug again numerous times. She would start over. Her baby would not run like this much longer, Amanda thought with a feeling of regret realizing she might never witness such a scene again.

 

Spock ran after the sehlats and chased them, as the animals ran and rolled all over the garden. They raced and circled each other full of grace despite their enormous weight and when Spock tried to catch one of them, they moved away so as to avoid hitting him. Spock tried to catch them again, and the odd dance was repeated over and over...

 

Amanda knew that she had seen that scene somewhere… But where? What did that scene remind her of?

 

“A, ha, ha, ha!” she laughed aloud as she finally remembered. It was from an old Earth movie from the mid 20th century, a combination of classic music and animated segments. There was a dance in it… what was its name? Oh, yes! The ‘Chinese Dance’. It was performed by a cluster of tiny mushrooms, dressed in long robes and coolie hats. And there was one little mushroom dancing always out-of-step. Her baby was just as cute as that little mushroom, if not cuter. A naked little Vulcan mushroom. 

 

Suddenly Spock lost his balance and sat on the ground. He frowned. Then he turned on his side, placed his feet under his belly, grasped I’Chaya’s fur, and firmly stood up again. Amanda smiled at the image of his little green tushy now covered with soil.

 

“Well done, Spock!” Amanda encouraged him when it hit her. Where was the camera? Why wasn’t she taking pictures of this? She’d show them to Sarek when he returned and send a few pics to her parents too. They missed their only grandson so very much…

 

“I’Chaya! I’m going to get the camera! You watch them!” she shouted and the faithful sehlat acknowledged with a low grunt. 

 

Amanda ran to her office as fast as she could, grabbed the camera and hurried back to the garden. Spock was sitting on I’Chaya’s back, holding his fur. Amanda approached the merry company, lifted the camera and started taking one picture after another.

 

Spock grabbing I’Chaya’s ear.

 

Spock biting I’Chaya’s ear. (Poor I’Chaya he truly hated that.)

 

Spock laughing on I’Chaya’s back.

 

Spock running after the two sehlats.

 

Spock trying to grab the other sehlat.

 

Spock on the other sehlat’s back.

 

However after that last picture I’Chaya decided to return the infant to its rightful owner. Amanda gasped as the 350-pound sehlat grabbed the family’s precious heir with his mouth like a large cat, carried him and carefully left him at Amanda’s feet.

 

“Woof!” he commanded, ending their game then and there, while Spock began to protest. Sitting with his mother, who had the awful habit of bathing him in water, was not how he wanted to spent his afternoon! He wanted to play with them! Them! Them! Them!

 

Amanda was puzzled. Maybe I’Chaya wanted to play with the other sehlat and was afraid they might accidentally injure the child, she assumed. 

 

Then she noticed something she had not seen before. A deep hole dug next to the yard’s wall – so that’s where the sehlat had come!

 

He really did come from the neighbors, Amanda realized. The animal had dug a burrow that united the two gardens. That made perfect sense. Sehlats did not like climbing, so it was obvious he didn’t climb the tall wall. And of course he didn’t enter from the gate door which was always locked ever since Spock started walking.

 

“No, no, no. You will stay right here,” Amanda said and held Spock by the hand. “Let’s leave I’Chaya and his friend to their play. You are dirty again, Spock. Come on. Let’s get you cleaned now before daddy arrives.”

 

“Aaaaahhhh!!!” The little child screamed in protest at the realization he was about to suffer another hateful water-bath. He tried to run away but his mother held him firmly by one hand while she held the camera with the other.

 

“No, Spock, no! I let you play with the sehlats. Don’t you wanna be clean? We have to wash away the dirt. It’s only fair to-” Amanda paused at mid-sentence when she realized why I’Chaya brought Spock to her.

 

The sehlats started to jump around and bite each other in a violent way. The neighbor sehlat made the first move. He bit I’Chaya on the neck. Not seriously, but quite forcefully. I’Chaya approached him from behind and reciprocated the bite. Then they engaged in a ferocious embrace and started to… become friendly with each other.

 

Very friendly.

 

Very, very… very friendly.

 

“Oh, my goodness!” Amanda laughed and covered her mouth. She suddenly realized what she was witnessing and the reason the neighbor sehlat was offended when she asked ‘him’ where ‘he’ came from. ‘He’ was not ‘he’ at all!

 

“I’Chaya! Oh, dear! Ummm…” for a moment she was out of words. “Come on, Spock, let’s go inside,” she said and tried again to pull her son inside the house.

 

Then the front gate opened and her husband walked in. 

 

Sarek hardly managed to take a second step when… his eyebrows ejected to his hairline. Obviously he did not expect to witness such an… unconventional scene upon entering his household. 

 

But then the sehlats saw the opened front door. Their primitive side had arisen to claim them and both animals felt the calling of the Tarhana Mountain seen in the far distance. Again it was the female that made the first move. She turned, bit I’Chaya, escaped from his embrace, and ran toward the exit. 

 

It all happened within seconds. Amanda had never witness anything similar during her entire lifetime. It was the fastest thing she ever saw.

 

She knew Vulcans were flexible, more flexible than Humans. She never knew how much.

 

While running as fast as she could to her freedom, the female sehlat accidentally pushed Sarek – he stood right in the middle of the gate. Yet instead of falling down, Sarek jumped aside, avoided the sehlat, twisted his body, flipped into the air, and landed on his hands and feet, like a cat. It was jaw-dropping, to say the least.

 

“Oh, my God!” Amanda yelled and pulled Spock’s hand more firmly. If she didn’t see it with her own eyes, she would never believe it. 

 

I’Chaya, who saw his companion running toward the wilderness, ran after her.

 

“I’CHAYA, KROYKAH!” Sarek commanded and the sehlat froze at the gateway.

 

Sarek rose to his feet, then approached and caressed his lifelong friend. “I understand,” he said in a calm tone. “But she is heading to the mountains. To pursue her would be dangerous.”

 

The sehlat turned his gaze from the road and faced him.

 

“Uuuuuuurrrr!” I’Chaya cried in protest while he and Sarek communicated empathically. 

 

Of course and he knew it was dangerous, he didn’t need junior to remind him! I’Chaya wasn’t born yesterday. He had been out in the Forge numerous times, both with Sarek and before he was even born with Skon, junior’s father. He knew his way around.

 

But she was young and probably had never been out there alone. Logically that was the reason she had run out there – she was unaware of the dangers. And besides wouldn’t Sarek do the same thing if his female was in the same situation? He too had brought home an ignorant female who – both junior and I’Chaya could recall very well – had screamed when he first saw him. She had thought I’Chaya would attack and bite her! How rude!

 

So for a few more seconds the sehlat and the Vulcan stood and faced each other in a battle of wills.

 

Then the Vulcan withdrew.

 

“Go,” Sarek said softly, “and be very careful.”

 

“Ruff!” I’Chaya acknowledged hurriedly and ran down the road leaving behind him a cloud of dust.

 

For a few seconds Sarek observed the sehlat with affection. I’Chaya wasn’t 100-years-old anymore, he was getting old, and during the last 5 years he had put on some weight. But he was also stubborn like all S'chn T'gai males. Sarek suppressed a sigh and then turned his attention to his own family.

 

“Iiiii-aaaa!” Spock cried and tried again to free himself from Amanda’s grip. Why was his son naked?

 

“Oh, OK, go!” Amanda said and released Spock’s hand so that he would go and greet his father. Sarek watched his little son amused as the child ran naked toward him and opened up his arms to embrace him. It was quite logical.

 

Yet, when they met, Spock did not stop. Instead he passed beside his father and continued to run to the gate… and beyooooond!

 

Sarek stood surprised. He turned to see his wife laughing uncontrollably at Spock’s defiance. Then he looked at his son. Then he looked at his wife again. Amanda tried hard to muffle her laughs but failed miserably. Sarek raised a challenging eyebrow. Is that so, adun’a?

 

Then he went after Spock.

 

That was it! Amanda saw the perfect opportunity, raised the camera and took a few more pictures.

 

Spock buck naked, his little green tushy covered with soil from the garden.

 

Sarek chasing Spock who runs naked.

 

Sarek catching Spock, who protests because he wants to run and play with the sehlats. 

 

Sarek, holding a quietened Spock in his embrace, and walking back to her.

 

To her??? Amanda gasped. Oh, oh, trouble. She could explain all this logically, right? Nervous, Amanda bit her lower lip. When Amanda was nervous she always chewed her lips. Well… she could try. 

 

However, as he approached her, Sarek was momentarily distracted by:

 

a. Amanda’s tiny wet blouse and the way it stuck on her body, outlining her bosom in every detail.

 

b. Amanda’s beautiful, warm, brown eyes and the pleading look she gave him while she wore a tiny wet blouse and the way that blouse stuck on her body, outlining her bosom in every detail.

 

c. Amanda’s soft lips, the tempting, seducing way she bit her lower lip, while she wore a tiny wet blouse and the way that blouse stuck on her body, outlining her bosom in every detail.

 

d. Various other reasons.

 

“Adun’a,” he greeted her by extending his hand to form the ozh'esta.

 

“Adun,” she extended her hand, caressing his index and middle fingers with hers.

 

Their touch made Amanda wonder. Aroused? He was aroused? Why was Sarek so aroused? She was still a little shaky from watching him flip into the air.

 

Sarek observed his wet, lightly dressed wife. Amanda wore a sample of a blouse and a sample of shorts called ‘hot pants’. She was completely wet. Then he looked at his smiling son. Spock was dry. He was also naked, and covered with soil and dirt. Then he looked at the ruined garden. There was a large hole near the wall. Then he looked at his wife.

 

“I am pleased that during my absence the house is still standing,” he said in all seriousness while his eyes shone.

 

Amanda burst out laughing again. Were there really those who claimed Vulcans did not have a sense of humor?

 

She coughed in a failed attempt to control herself. “Uh, I’m sorry. We were taking our bath and-”

 

“I understand,” Sarek nodded. If he wanted his Human wife to behave like a Vulcan, he would have been married to a Vulcan instead. Affectionately he caressed his son’s head. The child needed a bath. Badly.

 

That was when it happened. Spock raised his small hand and caressed his father’s cheek. 

 

“Daaddy.”

 

Amanda gasped. She covered her mouth with her hand and her eyes were instantly filled with tears. “Oh, Spock, you’ve said it!”

 

Sarek was also moved. He had waited many years to hear these words. Many, many years.

 

“Sa-fu,” he replied and touched Spock’s temple, sending him a warm, deep feeling of affection and acceptance.

 

Then Spock looked at his mother and extended his other hand toward her.

 

“Maamma.”

 

Amanda’s emotional dam broke and the tears started running down her cheeks.

 

“Oh, baby…” she whispered, took his small hand and kissed it. “Mommy loves you so much.”

 

The couple held hands as they stood and Sarek observed his family. They had been through a lot to have Spock. Especially his wife. Treatments… experimental formulas…. And all this time he lived in a torturous uncertainty. What would happen if he lost his beloved wife? Or his unborn son? Or his wife and his son? For a Vulcan, whose life depended on his wife’s existence, it had been hell. He had controlled it, of course. But it had been hell.

 

Yet at this moment all the agony, all the uncertainty, all the pain evaporated like ice melting under Nevasa, the cruel Vulcan sun. Yes… that single moment made everything worth it.

 

“Shall we discuss this while bathing Spock?” Sarek asked her softly and Amanda nodded with a teary smile.

 

They entered inside their house and headed to the bathroom.

 

Amanda walked ahead. Sarek behind her observed his wife’s posterior. The sight was aesthetically most pleasing but she would have to change her attire inside the house, he realized. Spock was no longer an infant, the child now could walk and talk and… question. Spock was growing. He would ask questions. Many questions. Although outside their home Amanda was dressed like a proper Vulcan wife, inside their home she still wore her old shorts and blouses. That had to change. He decided to suggest that Amanda continue wearing her Terran clothing only inside their bedchamber. Sarek disliked asking Amanda to change. That was not why he married her. But there was no reason to confuse their son any more than he already would be in the future. In only six years Spock would have to choose his future path… And it was a choice the boy could not take back. It would determine the course of his entire life.

 

Then, while still observing Amanda’s posterior, he started preparing a mental list of activities for the night, after they put their son to sleep. He had added several mating suggestions on the list, when he recalled something he had observed earlier.

 

“There is a large hole in our garden,” Sarek noted.  
“Actually it is a burrow,” Amanda corrected him with a mischievous smile. “It unites our garden with Soren’s.” She turned her head, looked at him and winked.

 

Sarek look at his son, who remained quiet in his embrace as they entered the bathroom. Spock looked miserable and entirely surrendered to his cruel, unavoidable fate.

 

“I see,” he replied considerably amused. It was not the first time I’Chaya left the house and he knew it would take a few days for his friend to return. “Of course,” Sarek nodded and touched tenderly Spock’s temple sending him a mental image of a compensating dinner.

 

.

.

.

 

Later in the bathroom Amanda observed Sarek while he bathed Spock. Spock, who now sat still, the perfect image of a quiet little angel.

 

Why, that little rascal! Amanda thought. He knew there was no way to bend his father’s will and behaved like the model of an ideal child.

 

Amanda sat behind them, on the cloth refresher. She still held the camera and scanned all images one by one, until she found the one she was looking for…

 

Sarek chasing Spock who runs naked.

 

She smiled. Would any of them ever realise how cute that picture appeared in her human eyes?

 

She raised her head and looked at the two men of her life.

 

Spock held his hands above his head while Sarek washed meticulously his underarms. Through their parental bond Spock could sense that his father, like himself, disliked water. But Spock had to be cleaned. It was true, the child thought, he had become very dirty chasing the sehlats. So he behaved. In that way they would finish this horror sooner. It was not obvious to the eye, yet Spock could clearly sense his father’s cloaked discomfort. 

 

Amanda observed them and recalled again the conversation she and Sarek had last night. Her husband had assured her that naturally Spock would be given a choice. It was logical. Nothing would be forced upon their son. Instead both options would be presented when Spock would become older. Their son would be free to choose by himself which philosophy he would follow in his life, Vulcan or Human.

 

Except… controlling his emotions was a training that Spock had to begin now – most Vulcan children his age had already started. Without it he would never be accepted in the Vulcan society as an equal. Spock had to learn to control his emotions.

 

Acceptance… Amanda sighed. The last thing she wanted in her life was for her son to grow up like an outcast… or a pariah. He already was different – Spock had her brown eyes and for that even now he stood like a paradox among other Vulcan children. So… training of his emotions would begin. And who knew what Spock would choose in the future?

 

But… She looked again at the holopic. Whatever Spock chose in his life, that picture was hers. She had witnessed it, captured it and it would remain hers forever. Hers to hold and treasure. Hers to remember. Hers to tease them both. Besides, who knew what the future might bring? Amanda looked at the image. Nobody knew. 

 

She rose, put the camera aside and went to help Sarek dry Spock.

 

.

.

.

 

All members of the S'chn T'gai household slept most… pleasantly that night. Whether they slept indoors or outdoors. Well, almost all.

 

Spock had not been pleased his parents put him to bed earlier than usual. And it took ten days for I’Chaya to return! Ten days! No, Spock was not pleased at all. 

 

But he never spoke to I’Chaya about this.

 

His mother was in shock when ten days later the sehlat entered their house. I’Chaya’s left fang was half-broken and he had several scrapes and a few bite marks. Yet he walked tall and proud. Why was he so pleased? Spock wondered. What did he accomplish? 

 

His emotional mother cried a little while she feed and caressed I’Chaya. His father ran quickly to fetch a healer, who gave I’Chaya a physical exam and pronounced the sehlat healthy. A little battered, but healthy. The aged man injected I’Chaya with a stimulant and a cocktail of antibiotics to prevent infection. 

 

Then he left to visit the family next door. They had also called a healer for I’Oneer, their female sehlat, who had left home and returned also after ten days. However that call was not urgent as the female was in a better condition. In fact, she was in an excellent condition the healer concluded, informing her family. No scrapes or bite marks whatsoever, not even a tiny one. I’Oneer had indeed returned perfectly safe and harmless to her family.

.

.

.

 

Seven months later I’Oneer gave birth to three small cubs, two females and a male. A pleased Soren invited Sarek and his family, including I’Chaya, to visit them for a festive dinner. Vulcans always celebrated the birth of new life.

 

In a dark room prepared entirely for her, the adults discussed in low voices and admired I’Oneer’s babies, while Spock and T’Pring watched them in awe. They were so small! Toothless, blind, and bald. Ugh!

 

Their parents had warned them not to approach the cubs but keep a distance. I’Oneer, who lay on a few blankets, did not allow anyone to touch her cubs, except I’Chaya. He bent down, sniffed the babies and licked them. Then he licked I’Oneer’s face while she fed the cubs. 

 

Spock and T’Pring looked at each other. Ugh! Then they run off to play with her new puzzles.

 

The three cubs were much sought after. Many families expressed keen interest in adopting them for they came from respected households, especially from the father’s side. Sarek and Soren made a diligent selection and the cubs went to caring homes, twelve months after their birth. The families who took them had the approval of both parents.

 

Amanda always kept in her handbag that picture of her husband running after their one-year-old naked son.

 

Later over the years, when Spock had made his choice, she would sometimes retrieve that holopic, looked at it and smile at the beloved memory, for it was all she had been left of that smile. 

 

And perhaps teased her husband and her son from time to time. Just a little bit.

 

The End.

**Author's Note:**

> Soundtrack:
> 
> Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker Suite, Op.71a Chinese Dance. What else?
> 
>  
> 
> Vulcan words (from the Vulcan Language Dictionary):
> 
> kroykah: stop
> 
> adun: husband
> 
> adun'a: wife
> 
> sa-fu: son
> 
> ozh'esta: finger embrace
> 
> A/N: I’Oneer’s name comes from the Greek word oneiro which means dream.
> 
> Sehlat cubs are inspired by bears and that information comes from Wikipedia.
> 
> The name of the little mushroom in the ‘Chinese Dance’ is Hop Low.
> 
> ‘Fantasia’ is a 1940 film that belongs to Disney. I own my dreams and my imagination. And I’Oneer.


End file.
